Turmeric Shrimp with Citrus & Avocado
By all appearances, this dish should be a summer dish - it’s light, flavorful, colorful. And it’s absolutely perfect for summer - but to my immense enjoyment, all of these ingredients are easily available over the winter. Juicy cucumber and tart grapefruit bring freshness, with spice from the chile and turmeric balanced by creamy avocado. A squeeze of lime lifts the flavors and makes this great for a high acid white wine: pass the sauvignon blanc, please. It makes for a really nice change from typically meaty, carby, starchy winter fare (not that I don’t love a good stew).
I love shrimp - but challenges to their habitat and unregulated international farming practices make it challenging to know the best shrimp to buy for sustainability and flavor. If you have access to never frozen wild shrimp, you’re in for a treat. For the rest of us: Look for wild shrimp that is frozen without chemicals (ask the fishmonger) or frozen farmed shrimp with a certification (look for the abbreviations GAA or BAP on the packaging). Above all, finding a seafood retailer who you trust is the best way to get consistently high quality seafood, so try a few places and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
The safest, easiest way to thaw frozen shrimp is in your fridge overnight. But, if you’re like me and frequently have need for a quicker solution, you can place a bag of frozen shrimp in cold water (use a heavy plate to keep it fully submerged) and change the water every 30 mins until thawed (30-90 mins total).
Turmeric Shrimp with Citrus & Avocado
Time: 20 || Servings: 4 as an app, 2 as a main || Source: I Dream of Dinner (so you don’t have to) by Ali Slagle
Shrimp - 1 lb, peeled and deveined
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Salt (kosher)
Seedless English cucumber - 1
Grapefruit (can also substitute tangerine or pineapple or a combination)
Jalepeno or serrano pepper - 1
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Avocado - 1
Lime - 1
Once your 1 lb of shrimp is defrosted, peeled, and deveined, pat it dry and toss it with 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp kosher salt.
Cut the cucumber into one inch chunks. Scatter on a serving plate and season with salt.
Remove the skin from the grapefruit. Cut the top and bottom off of the grapefruit, so you can just see the fruit inside. Place it on the cutting board on a flat side, then cut away the peel, including all the white pith, following the curve of the grapefruit. Once the peel is fully removed, slice the grapefruit in half, then slice into half moons. Scatter the grapefruit over the cucumbers and season with salt.
Heat a skillet on medium-high and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Slice a jalepeno in half and place cut side up in the pan. Add shrimp to the pan and cook for one minute. Turn shrimp and cook on the other side until opaque, one to two more minutes. Scatter shrimp over the grapefruit. Remove jalepeno from the pan and mince; scatter jalepeno (to taste) over the dish.
Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a spoon to scoop slices of avocado over the shrimp.
Cut the lime in half. Squeeze half the lime over the entire dish. Cut the other half into wedges for serving.
Season the whole dish to taste with olive oil, flaky salt, and pepper, then serve.
